MLB

A half-game back of the D-backs as Dodgers snap series losing streak vs. Buccos – Dodgers Digest

0


After taking the first game and the final two games of a four-game series against the Pirates, the Dodgers have their first series win against the team in 2021. That doesn’t sound like a big deal but considering the strengths of the two teams it’s pretty remarkable.

Today a 5-2 win was powered by a pair of homers, as Julio Urias bounced back from his rough start to the year.

======

Pirates starter Johan Oviedo has been a rotation staple for them all year, but he got off to a rough start tonight when Mookie Betts led the game off with a double and Freddie Freeman followed by immediately drilling his 15th homer into the right-field bullpen for a 2-0 lead.

Meanwhile, Julio Urias was looking to get back to his 2022 form, and he started well with a clean 1st that had a pair of strikeouts. However in the 2nd he was victimized by his own teammates, as a one-out single was followed by a Jack Suwinski “double” that David Peralta badly misread, and a Nick Gonzalez bouncing double down the line followed that to make it 2-2.

After a strikeout and a groundout followed, Urias should’ve been out of the inning without a run coming in, but it was a tie game.

After the double, Julio actually then immediately went on a run of 11 straight batters retired before a walk in the 6th. Though he tired all three batters that followed it as well, the runner only reaching second on a stolen base.

Probably would’ve gone seven shutout without the mistake: 6 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 8 K, 88 Pitches.

Fortunately, he was in line for the win, despite Oviedo settling down as well. He cruised through the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in order, and probably would’ve done the same in the 5th had their fielders not lost a “double” in the sky that he worked around capably.

The 6th proved to be the difference in the game, as Freddie led off the inning with a double and then Max Muncy made Oviedo pay for trying to double up on an elevated fastball, smashing his 20th homer of the year for a 4-2 lead.

While it didn’t look like insurance was going to come in the 7th, with two out Mookie Betts doubled to knocked Oviedo out of the game. The bullpen provided no relief, as Freddie singled for a 5-2 lead.

As for the pen operating on fumes right now, it was Nick Robertson in the 7th, and all he did was strikeout the side. Brusdar Graterol and his ailing shoulder appeared in the 8th, and after an infield single that bounced off Graterol’s glove, he induced a double play and got a three-pitch strikeout for a quick inning.

Meanwhile, it was Alex Vesia for the save in the 9th, and he thankfully didn’t cause drama, inducing a foul pop, groundout, and a strikeout.

Easy peasy.

======

NL WEST RECORD
Diamondbacks 50-38
Dodgers 49-38 (0.5 GB)
Giants 47-40 (3 GB)

*Either still playing or will play later.

The Dodgers will now start a two-games series against the Angels in the Freeway Series (at home), starting at 4:10 PM HT/7:10 PM PT/10:10 PM ET with Tony Gonsolin facing Griffin Canning.





Source link

Coaching candidates to watch • D1Baseball

Previous article

MLB Draft with Chris Johnson of S2 Cognition

Next article

You may also like

More in MLB